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Pensioner 'going mad' after neighbour's new fence blocks view

Sheila Parkinson
Sheila Parkinson, 75, from Grimsby, says the fence has reduced daylight coming through her living room window. (Reach)

A pensioner claims she has been left on the verge of "going mad" after a six-foot fence was installed outside her house.

Sheila Parkinson, 75, says the fence erected last month has reduced daylight coming through her living room window and is destroying the view.

The pensioner, from Grove Crescent, Grimsby, says when she sits on her sofa she "can't see anything outside" except for the tops of a few houses and is forced to go outside onto her drive to see down her street.

Parkinson claims she has contacted North East Lincolnshire Council three times and has been told someone will attend her property but they have not come.

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Parkinson says the fence has reduced daylight coming through her living room window. (Reach)
Parkinson says the fence has reduced daylight coming through her living room window. (Reach)

Parkinson said: “When it was put up in October I sat down in my room and thought, 'I can't see anybody out there'. It's depressing me, if I'm honest.

"If I didn't have friends and my daughter supporting me I think I would've gone mad.

“You would've gone mad in this house, and with it getting colder now you can't go out as much."

She added: “I'm 75 and I'm on my own a lot of the time and it's horrible.

“I'm having to keep the light on a lot of the time and I don't like it because it's using my electricity and it will cost me.

"I usually go out because I think, 'I can't sit here all day'.

She said she had “been on to the Council day and night but nothing is being done”.

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In response, a spokesperson for North East Lincolnshire Council's delivery partner EQUANS said that "due to circumstances beyond [their] control" an initial planned visit had to be delayed.

They added: “This issue was first reported to our planning team on October 24 this year and there has already been discussions between the reporter of the works and the enforcement officer.

“Unfortunately, due to circumstances that were beyond our control, an initial planned visit had to be delayed.

"However, that has now been resolved and the appropriate officer has made contact again and a replanned visit has been arranged.”

According to national planning permission guidelines, householders are not required to apply for planning permission if a fence that is not next to a highway does not exceed two metres in height.